While Classic Empire's 2017 debut was a disappointment, the 2017 Triple Crown trail has gained an intriguing new contender in Irish War Cry. Setting even fractions throughout, the unbeaten New Jersey-bred cruised home in the Lambholm South Holy Bull Stakes (USA-II) under a strong hand ride to gain his first graded stakes victory plus 10 points on the Kentucky Derby Leaderboard.
As a son of Curlin, Irish War Cry can be expected to continue improving with maturity. He is the sixth winner and first stakes winner from six foals of racing age for the Polish Numbers mare Irish Sovereign. Herself a solid allowance winner over sprint distances, Irish Sovereign was the best runner produced from the winning Beau Genius mare Irish Genius, a half sister to Italian stakes winner The Irish Knight (by Snow Knight).
Both Polish Numbers and Beau Genius have been better known for throwing speed than stamina, but this was not the case for Saint Crespin III, sire of Irish Genius' dam Irish Trip, who won the 1959 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Irish War Cry, in fact, has a nice balance between speed and stamina in his pedigree, and there seems little reason to doubt that he will stretch out further than the 8.5 furlongs of the Holy Bull. His main challenge now is to gain mental maturity and overcome the greenness he has shown in his races to date. If he can do that, he will be an interesting horse to keep an eye on down to the road to Louisville.
As a son of Curlin, Irish War Cry can be expected to continue improving with maturity. He is the sixth winner and first stakes winner from six foals of racing age for the Polish Numbers mare Irish Sovereign. Herself a solid allowance winner over sprint distances, Irish Sovereign was the best runner produced from the winning Beau Genius mare Irish Genius, a half sister to Italian stakes winner The Irish Knight (by Snow Knight).
Both Polish Numbers and Beau Genius have been better known for throwing speed than stamina, but this was not the case for Saint Crespin III, sire of Irish Genius' dam Irish Trip, who won the 1959 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Irish War Cry, in fact, has a nice balance between speed and stamina in his pedigree, and there seems little reason to doubt that he will stretch out further than the 8.5 furlongs of the Holy Bull. His main challenge now is to gain mental maturity and overcome the greenness he has shown in his races to date. If he can do that, he will be an interesting horse to keep an eye on down to the road to Louisville.
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